The Lost Girls
by lee 1280
Summary: Esther needed help with the spell that transformed her family into the Originals. Ayanna helped Esther and Mikael with their spell but she warned them that it was dark magic. Arianna was Ayanna's only child. A beautiful girl who was also a witch like her mother. Arianna was engaged to Elijah before Tatia appeared and tore them apart. Now to present day... Elijah/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Esther needed help with the spell that transformed her family into the Originals. Ayanna helped Esther and Mikael with their spell but she warned them that it was dark magic. **

**Arianna was Ayanna's only child. A beautiful girl who was also a witch like her mother. Arianna was engaged to Elijah before Tatia appeared and tore them apart. I picture Arianna as Ashley Greene. Think Alice (Twilight) with the adorable pixie cut hair style and beautiful brown eyes.**

**Mikael could not let Ayanna or her daughter live. They knew the power of the white oak tree and he knew that the two witches were strong. Esther's magic could not stand up to their power...**

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**Chapter one**

**I own nothing but Arianna/Nikki and the plot line that has been in my mind for a while. I wrote this story because I always felt sorry for the Donovan siblings. Even Vikki.**

**_A thousand years ago..._**

Arianna smoothed out the dress. It had started off as a plain white cotton dress with lace edges that fell about her ankles. Her mother had bought it from a passing tradesman. Ayanna had spent a month embroidering it, adding pretty flowers to the bodice. Flowers that would match the work on the veil that she would wear over her long cinnamon colored hair. Arianna had sat at her mother's feet each night by the fire side as the sewing progressed. Her heart had fluttered as the dress grew more enchanting under her mother's skilled and nimble fingers.

Her mother was the strongest witch in their village so their little family was wealthy. Ayanna was a legendary beauty, her hair the color of golden sunshine and crystal blue eyes that showed her Nordic ancestry. Arianna's father had had dark hair and she had inherited his eyes that were an unusual golden tawny brown. He had died long ago but Ayanna refused suitors. Their cottage was large and had all the comforts they desired. There was a special pantry that was fragrant with magical herbs. Ayanna used these ingredients in her spells. The mother and daughter were content with their lot in life. Or they had been happy, before Tatia and her family arrived.

The wedding was to have been a grand affair. Ayanna was marrying her only prized daughter to another wealthy powerful family in the village. Mikael and Esther were close to Ayanna and Mikael loved the fact that his oldest son was marrying such a powerful young witch. Mikael boasted about it often, making his son uncomfortable. But Elijah was happy. He had grown up with Arianna. They had fallen in love and at first they had been afraid of their parents. When Elijah had declared himself, everyone had been encouraging. Rebekah who was Arianna's best friend began making plans for the wedding day. Even arrogant Kol and quiet Niklaus teased Arianna about her becoming their sister. Henrik, sweet little boy that he was, was happy to have a new sibling. But Henrik was gone now, taken by the wolves and leaving behind a shattered family.

Things had changed. A solitary tear trickled down the young girl's face as she crashed back to reality. She was not going to marry Elijah anymore. Tatia had destroyed their love. Arianna put a hand behind her neck, going to open the little mother of pearl buttons. She would never wear this dress now, Elijah would never see her in it. Arianna wanted to burn it. Its delicate beauty mocked her now because Elijah had fallen under Tatia's charm. Elijah and Niklaus fought for the new girl.

Ari lifted her braid and sighed. She never wanted to fall in love again and she had learnt the hard way, never to trust anyone. Only her mother. Because Ayanna loved her completely.

There was a crash from the kitchen and the young girl ran to her door. She opened the wooden door without hesitation. Ayanna had been mixing herbs and her pestle lay discarded on the floor.

Arianna looked at the intruders with wide eyes. "Esther? Mikael?" She had taken to calling them mama Esther and papa Mikael when she was to have entered their family, but she would call them that no more.

"What do you want with me Mikael?" Ayanna's voice was harsh and her body screamed of tension.

"You wear your wedding dress Arianna?" Esther's sibilant voice whispered. "Invite us in girl, let me see how pretty you are."

Arianna was frozen. Esther's voice was mesmerizing. Her words controlled the young girl so that Arianna almost automatically said, "Please come inside Esther and Mikael."

"No!" Ayanna shouted, "I did what you asked the spell is done. Tatia is dead and your sons feud no more. Leave me and my daughter in peace."

"You will not move." Mikael stared into the elder witch's eyes. "Do not move Ayanna."

"What are you doing?" Arianna's heart was pounding. This was not the kind mother like Esther that she knew and Mikael had always been stern. His hard features were normally harsh but handsome. But now, their faces were distorted by a different evil. Now they looked cruel. Pale and feral like, with black veins around their eyes. "Tatia is dead?" Her own brown eyes grew large in her small face. "Mother what have you done?"

"Run Ari! Get away." Her mother could not move but she screamed. Ayanna would never beg for her life but for her daughter, she would do anything. "Please Mikael."

Mikael walked to stand behind the young girl. "I cannot allow you both to live. My family is strong now and I will destroy anyone who knows of our weaknesses." He held Arianna in place with a hand around her throat. She could not breath as his slim fingers sunk into her air pipe.

"I never threated you Esther." Ayanna's voice was shrill. "I warned you not to meddle with dark magic but I helped you. I helped you to make your family immortal. My child is no threat to you. Let her go. Save her Esther!"

"You are a threat that I cannot risk. Both of you because little witches grow up and then they become even more powerful. You both must die." Mikael's voice was cold as he sunk his fangs deep into the soft skin of Ayanna's only child.

Ari felt the warm blood pour down her neck and the pain burnt her. His fangs were like fire in her throat. She felt a distant dismay, now her bridal dress was ruined. Blood would never wash out easily.

Esther grabbed Ayanna, her blood lust released as she watched Mikael feed. "I liked you Ayanna that is why I will give you a noble death."

Esther took out her ceremonial dagger and plunged the bronze blade into Ayanna's chest.

Arianna felt the darkness seeping in and she reached a hand out to her mother but to no avail. Ayanna watched as crimson droplets decorated her daughter's bodice like rubies. The elder witch should never have trusted Esther or Mikael. This was the same mad man, who when he had discovered his wife's cheating and he had realized that Niklaus was not his son, he had found the wolf who had bedded his wife. Mikael had not asked the man any questions. He had slaughtered the man and half the village. Mikael let his rage control him. Ayanna had made a mistake in helping them and now she and her child would die.

A trickle of blood ran out of Ayanna's mouth as she gasped. "I swear this to you Esther. Kill me now. Kill my daughter now. When you and your family least expect it, I will send my daughter to defeat you." She coughed as her body slid to the wooden floor. "Eternity is a long time Esther and I will send Arianna to stop you. One day."

"Do you think that her magic is so strong? Can she bargain with death?" Esther was terrified now as she looked at her husband.

Mikael shook of the shiver of fear that raced down his spine. He would not let Esther see his unease. "She's dead now." He threw Arianna's body beside her mother. The dark wooden floor was awash in blood.

The girl had heard her mother's words and she believed them. Her mother's magic was that strong and this was a prophecy bound in blood. Ari welcomed death's embrace because she would be back one day. She would have revenge for her mother's murder. The last words Arianna heard as she died, was Mikael's.

"Burn them both. Leave no trace of what we have done. Elijah must never know." His voice was chillingly cold. She had called this man papa.

Then all was dark... Death welcomed both mother and daughter.

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_**Please review and let me know what you think?**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

**_Season One. I own nothing._**

Vicki stood next to Jeremy, her copper hair gleaming in the fire light. She had brought her new tag along boyfriend to meet her friends. It was not a regular date because no girl brought a boy to the cemetery to meet a bunch of druggies. But these were her people and this cemetery was her safe place, as sad as that seemed. Jeremy seemed okay so far. She had spent the last few days at his house and he liked her a lot.

Vicki saw the look on Jeremy's face, she hadn't asked him to come. "What?" she asked.

"I'm stoned in a cemetery." It seemed that this fact bothered him.

"They don't mind, they're dead." She replied a little coldly. "Let me take this up a notch." Vicki turned to one of the guys. "Hey, Tony." She threw the pill bottle to him.

Tony looked at the prescription label on the container, "Oh nice! Vickies from a Vicki." He cackled like he had made a fantastic joke.

The girl standing next to Tony peered at the label, "Well thank you Elena Gilbert. Whoever you are."

Jeremy stared in shock at Vicki. "You took those from the house?" Elena would have a fit when she discovered that Vicki had gone through their drug cabinet and stole the pills. Elena hated Vicki and she had been trying to break them up.

"She wasn't using it," Vicki said simply. She did not see the point of the pills going to waste. Elena didn't need them. She wasn't using them. The doctor had prescribed them to Elena after the car accident and that had been months ago. Vicki and her friends however, would not waste them.

"She's gonna notice if they're gone," Jeremy was panicking, "That's not cool."

"It's no big Jer," Vicki tried to be nonchalant. Hey, if he wanted to hang out with her then he needed to relax and stop sweating the little stuff. Stealing pills from Saint Elena was no biggie. Vicki felt that Elena owed her that much after all the flack that she had been handing her about Jeremy.

"Yeah, it kinda is Vick." Jeremy replied trying to reason with her.

"Damn dude." One of the druggies shook his head.

"Vicki brought the party police." Tony was just full of quips tonight.

She glared at him, "Shut up Tony." She turned to Jeremy and pulled him a little away from the crowd. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you mad." Vicki was sad, she had thought that Jeremy was different. Maybe he would actually get her.

"Well, what are we doing, partying in a cemetery with a bunch of losers?" he replied. He didn't even try to hide his contempt as he stared at the highly intoxicated group.

"Those are my friends." Vicki's voice was hard. She wouldn't cry. Jeremy Gilbert would not make her all teary eyed.

"They're waste of space small-town lifers," he replied.

"Yeah? What am I?" she tried to hide the desperation and the pain from her voice. Please don't judge me, she begged silently.

"You're different, Vick." Jeremy felt a bit guilty now, he saw her pulling away from him. But in his eyes she didn't belong here. She was special.

"No, you are. You're the kid with the big house who's acting out because his parents died. Guess what- You'll get over it. You will pull yourself together, move on, and one day tell your kids stories about your dark period growing up," her voice broke a little but she was hard, "and I'll still be here, waiting tables at the grill, partying at the cemetery with a bunch of waste of space small-town lifers." It was her reality. She didn't have money or anyone to look after her. She wasn't legacy, a founding family member that got all the breaks. She worked the tables at the Grill to help her family.

"Look," Jeremy held out a hand.

"Go home, Jeremy. If I want to feel like crap about myself, I'll just go back to Tyler." Vicki walked away from him, she would not look back. She heard him mutter something and then he was gone.

That was how she liked it, she wanted to be alone. The tall, slim girl stood beside her friends and she felt so alone. No one understood her. Tyler used her for her body and Jeremy tried to change her. Vicki needed her drugs because they were an escape from the darkness. In her mind, she was trapped in a steel cage banging on the sides to be let out, to be helped and no one heard her. No one cared.

Matt was a useless husk of his former self, Elena had torn out his heart and handed it back to him without flinching. Her mother was on her way out of town soon and clearly not giving a damn. The worst though, was Nikki her fraternal twin who was gone to a hospital in Arizona to see a specialist. Carol Lockwood on Tyler's recommendation had offered to pay for Nikki. The Donovan family was a charity case but what were they supposed to do? Because dammit all to hell, Nikki was sick and no one could help her. Vicki felt as if someone had taken a razor blade and cut out the most special piece of her. Nikki was her good side and she was gone. They didn't even know for how much longer because Carol's good deed would only last so long.

So Vicki stood there, high on pain pills and whatever else they had mixed in the cocktail of pills and alcohol because she needed to be numb. She needed not to be able to feel all the pain and anger that threatened to overtake her. She was alone and no one cared. She had nothing and the one person who she loved most in all the world was off far away from her. Vicki bit down on her lip, she would not let anyone see her cry. That was all she needed, Jeremy Gilbert making her feel like a failure. She already knew that.

Out of the darkness, a wind blew through the small crowd. The teens were snatched one by one. Their screams were swallowed by the night.

Vicki smelt the blood as the bodies were tossed aside. He came for her next and she recognized him. She had served him at the Grill. His face was evil, dark veins surrounding his eyes. She had thought that he was beautiful when she had first seen him. Vicki had been taken by the breath taking good looks like all the other girls in town but she had been fearful of him and rightly so.

Damon Salvatore was a monster.

She would not give in so easily. She turned to run but her legs were numb from the drugs and she fell hard onto her back. She scrambled backwards, her shirt rucking up so that the grass and stones cut into her soft skin. Her eyes were wide but she would not cry. Still she would not cry. He came towards her slowly, savoring the fear he had created. Vicki recognized that look, he was high too. High off the blood and fear. "The bad man," she whispered to the wind, "Nikki the bad man is coming."

Damon cocked his head and snarled at her, "Yeah I'm a bad, bad man." His blue eyes were dark with hunger as he came towards her at an inhuman pace.

Vicki grabbed the only weapon she had, her talisman that had kept her safe, had kept them all safe from the bad men that had tried to come for them. Vicki grabbed the Swiss army knife from her jacket pocket. It was old and a little rusty, it did not even look threatening but she hoped the magic would save her as it always had. Vicki thrust the knife out at him.

Damon chuckled as he easily twisted her hand and plucked the knife out from her fingers. He could hear the tendons almost snap in her knuckles, her grip was so tight. He was intent on hurting people tonight because of Stefan and he needed to feed. But this girl was different. "Why aren't you afraid of me?" he asked softly. He was honestly curious.

"I'm not afraid because even something as evil as you can be destroyed." Her eyes met his and he saw the fight in her. She wanted to live.

In a hospital in Arizona, Dominique's eyes snapped open. She was Dominique Arianna Donovan. She sat up in her hospital bed as she awoke from the dream, the vision of her sister being hunted down. Nikki's eyes rolled back in her head and the machines around her beeped in alarm.

The nurses ran in at the blaring sound, "She's seizing! Someone get a doctor!" One of the nurses shouted as the girl fell back onto the bed and into unconsciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**I own no rights to TVD. All that's mine is Arianna / Nikki and the plot line.**

**Thank you to all who take the time to read my story, favorite or follow.**

**Thank you to JamieAnnieCarter for being the first reviewer.**

**Thank you to Lilrobo02 for reviewing. **

**Thank you to Katie for reviewing. **

**Thank you to ileana for reviewing.**

**This chapter, I want to show a little bit of the twins past. Maybe why Vicki turned out the way she did. **

Nikki fell into darkness. The sounds of the machines and the panicked voices of the nurses faded away until all was still.

Darkness swirled about her… as the words kept repeating in her mind.

**The bad man is coming…**

All she heard was Vicki's frantic voice and it took her back. She fell through the silvery mists of time and Nikki remembered.

She had always been different. Even as a little girl, Nikki could see past people's faces and into their real reflections. She called it their true faces. When they drove by the bus stop, Nikki would press her face against the glass of the car window and look at the people. Outwardly they all looked fine but she could see their reflections shimmering under their everyday masks. It scared her and when she had tried to tell Kelly about it, her mother had told her to hush.

Kelly didn't want to think that her children were different. She had smoked and consumed alcohol freely throughout her pregnancies so she did not want to be blamed for any problems that her kids might have. She made sure that they had the basics, like clothes and food so she was doing fine by them. Kelly had been raised the same way.

Nikki would hush when told to do so because she saw the other mother behind Kelly. The good mother as Nikki liked to call her. The lady with the kind face and long blond hair with eyes the color of the sky. When the other mother smiled at Nikki, it was strange because she was like a memory but the child could hear her voice sometimes like a faded whisper. The pretty lady stood behind Kelly and her smile always calmed Nikki down even drowning out Kelly's screaming voice as her mother chastised her.

Vicki couldn't see the other faces or the other mother but Vicki believed her. Nikki was sad because she wished that Vicki could see how the other mother actually loved them both.

Their daddy was a strange man. When Mattie was born and Nikki looked at his pale face she was confused by his sadness. "Another mouth to feed."

This confused Nikki because Matt drank milk all the time and he wasn't much trouble. The twins liked Matt because he was like a little cherub with blond hair and blue eyes. He was a good baby.

When the twins were seven their father came home one night and he gave them presents. The girls received baby dolls that cried and Matt got a bright red fire truck. They all sat on the living room carpet and Vicki ran off to throw away the empty boxes.

Nikki sat on the floor beside her father's chair and he stroked her head. She was distracted as she inhaled the smell of a brand new doll. It had its own distinct smell and it would soon be gone. Her father stroked her long hair and told her, "Look after Vicki, you hear? I can tell she's going to be a handful."

The little girl nodded as she frowned. Yes, she would always look after Vicki. It was her job even though Vicki was older by two minutes.

"Matt you look after your sisters." Daddy said, his voice gruff as he looked at the little boy. Matt didn't pay much attention because he was busy make sound effects for his truck.

That night when they were all asleep, Nikki heard the creaky step on the stair case groan in protest as someone walked down it. She heard the muffled click of the front door as it closed shut. He was gone, the man that they called father had just upped and left.

The next day Nikki had taken her doll out back and thrown it into the garbage. She could hear the muffled sounds of Kelly's weeping as her mother sat in the kitchen nursing a bottle of vodka. The children were left to fend for themselves that day.

Nikki stood outside in the shade of the garage and she wanted some peace. The house was too full of emotion and memories. Matt's teary questions were trying. Vicki came up behind her.

"You threw your doll away?" Vicki asked, her voice soft.

"Yeah, I didn't want it anymore," Nikki replied. Her voice felt strange to her. It was slightly surreal, their father had just left them and how were they supposed to go on? Kelly would never manage.

"I don't want mine anymore either," Vicki said firmly. She lowered her head as she scuffed her sneakers on the ground. "I think mine is broken. Like me. That's why daddy left us because maybe we're broken."

Nikki was shaken by the pain in her sister's voice. She turned to face Vicki, whose long copper brunette hair fell over her face. Nikki brushed the long, soft strands off her sister's pale face. Vicki's face was hard, a frown marring her young features. Most people thought that Vicki was difficult because she frowned all the time but that was just a young girl's defense mechanism. The twins needed their walls up when the other girls jeered at them. Pretty, dainty creatures like Caroline Forbes who made fun of their clothes or their hair that wasn't cut in the latest style.

"You aren't broken Vicki and neither am I." Nikki kept her voice firm but her tiny hand trembled as she smoothed her sister's hair. "Daddy was the one who was broken. We don't need him."

Vicki lifted her head, "But we do Nikki. Little girls need their dads and Matt needs his dad."

Nikki breathed out, "Daddy is gone and it's just you and me now. We have to take care of Mattie and each other."

"I don't want to have to look after anyone!" Vicki replied her face heating up.

"We can do it," Nikki urged, "because we are special." It was what she always said to Vicki. They were both special in their own way. Nikki could see things and she was tied to her sister. They shared the same emotions and when one of them was hurt, the other would feel it. It was an almost scary bond. Sometimes it freaked Kelly out when both the twins would bleed from a single cut. It was yet another anomaly that Kelly chose to ignore.

Vicki sniffed, "We're magic." The little girl straightened her shoulders. That was their secret. Their connection to each other bound them. "Our twin magic makes us strong."

"We can fight off anything together," Nikki said. She hoped that her sister would believe her because she knew that believing was a part of the magic.

In the bright light of day, the two small girls held hands and they believed.

But trouble had a way of finding the innocent. There were men out in Mystic Falls who saw Kelly as an easy target. A young mother, who if you filled her up with beer enough would take you home and some of these men liked little girls.

Nikki's abilities protected them for a while. She would see the men's other faces and she would tug her on her sister's hand when Kelly brought these strange men home. "He's one of them. He's a bad man."

Vicki would look at her twin and they would take Matt upstairs to their room and they would look themselves in. Kelly would spend hours downstairs with the stranger until they lurched upstairs to her bedroom. When the door locked, the twins would look at each other with mirrored relief. It was terrifying because sometimes in the dark of night, the twins would hear someone trying to turn the handle on their room door. They held their breaths until the rattling on the locked door would stop and they would watch the shadowy figure under the door retreating in defeat.

One day though, Vicki didn't listen. Kelly brought home a man who she had been seeing for a few weeks. It was a causal relationship but the twins could see the quiet desperation in their mother's eyes. Kelly was already imagining herself married to David Neil.

On the outside he was an average, steady kind of guy. He had his own house and a great job. He was friendly towards the kids without being too touchy. But Nikki saw his real face and it scared her. His other face was a mask of pure evil.

Nikki warned Vicki but throughout the weeks, David Neil was winning the little girl over. Until the day that Kelly took Matt over to the Gilbert's house.

Miranda Gilbert had been best friends with Kelly since high school and she was one of the few people who didn't look down on the family. Matt was the same age as Miranda's little girl, Elena and the two had become firm friends. Vicki was not allowed at the Gilbert's or at any of the other founding families houses. The ladies would get cross because Vicki wanted to touch everything in their big houses and she would speed through the rooms. Nikki was sad because her sister did not want to steal or break anything. Vicki just liked to touch pretty things. But the mothers thought that Vicki was too hyper active and a bad influence on their children. Even Sheriff Forbes would stare at Vicki and shake her head.

It was only Carol Lockwood who could tolerate them being over at her house and that was when she left the children to their own devices and had her afternoon drinks. Tyler was Matt's best friend and he liked playing with the two pretty girls. Carol was glad that Tyler was kept busy while she drank and the girls loved the beautiful house.

Nikki was always asked to the play dates because she was calm and polite. But she would go no where without her sister. They were sad when they were apart and Nikki needed Vicki as much as her sister needed her.

"Are you sure that you can look after the girls Dave?" Kelly asked as she grabbed a bag filled with Matt's stuff.

Matt stood in the open door way, ready to see his friend Elena who had charmed him from the moment he had laid eyes on her. His blond hair shone in the light as he shifted impatiently from foot to foot.

David Neil settled in front of the tv with the remote. "We'll be fine Kelly. You won't be long anyway." His eyes were fixed on the screen already.

Nikki stood up, ready to go upstairs and lock the room door. Her palms were sweaty from the tension that licked up her spine.

"Bye girls, be good." With that Kelly was gone and the house seemed suddenly darker. Every corner filled with dark shadows. Portents of things to come.

David leaned back on the couch, "I brought you something." He pulled out bags of sweets from the inside pocket of his jacket. He acted casual and completely at ease.

Vicki's eyes met with her sisters.

Nikki shook her head, her fear almost a tangible presence in the room now. "The bad man." She whispered.

But Vicki was stubborn, the lure of candy too much for her. "I want candy."

"No Vicki please," Nikki's voice stuck painfully in her throat. She turned her face towards David. He watched them with a dark glint in his eyes. He was waiting to see how it played out. "Thank you Mr. Neil, but we don't want any candy. We have homework." Nikki tried to keep her voice level as she lied.

He chuckled, "I thought that I told you to call me Dave," his smile was wide. It reminded Nikki of the Cheshire cat in the story books. It wasn't a real smile. "Besides, Vicki here wants candy." His voice was filled with smug satisfaction. His trap had been laid and the prey was falling into it.

"Mr. Neil," Nikki replied quickly, "we aren't allowed candy before dinner." Maybe he would believe her and leave them alone. Her eyes drifted to the door, how much longer would Kelly be?

Vicki went to the man and sat on the couch. She folded her hands and leaned into him.

"Go and get us a bowl," David Neil instructed, "then you can share it out."

Nikki hesitated. He was getting cross now, his mask of civility slipping away. "Your mother left me in charge." He reminded her.

Nikki went slowly into the kitchen and she grabbed the nearest bowl. It did not even register in her mind which one it was that she carried.

Vicki's scream of pure terror cut through the afternoon quiet and the bowl fell from Nikki's hands. Her sisters fear cutting her to the core. She raced to the portable house phone and grabbed it. Nikki ran, her knee slamming against the kitchen wall but she didn't register the pain. Vicki's panic cut through the bond, her raw fear raging like a wild beast.

Vicki sat cowering away from the bad man. Her peasant blouse pulled off her slim shoulder.

That's when Nikki felt the mirroring pain on her shoulder.

"He… he bit me!" Vicki screamed through the tears. Nikki could see her sister's shoulder slick with traces of spittle. "He bit me Nikki. The bad man bit me!" Her small body was wracked with sobs.

"She's fine," David said. "Nothing happened." His voice was cold as he looked at the phone. He bargained on the mere fact that he was an adult and his word was believable over the words of two children.

"Mr. you better leave right now. Or I'm calling the Sheriff," Nikki held the phone up. Her finger was already on the nine button. "I know who to call and when the Sheriff sees my sister's shoulder she'll arrest you."

The man stood up as he realized that the little girl wasn't bluffing. "Look I don't want any trouble." He pulled out his wallet and he threw a fifty dollar bill down on the table. "Here you girls take this and we'll forget this ever happened."

Nikki looked at the money, she could use it to get something to protect them. She looked at the bad man and he left quickly. He was genuinely scared now. He was used to kids who were damaged and didn't talk back.

Nikki sat beside her sister, "I'm sorry Vicki." She didn't know what else to say. Why did they have the misfortune to be victims of adult's bad decisions?

"It's my fault," Vicki hiccupped. "I should have listened to you."

"No it was not your fault. He was a bad man and he wanted to hurt us. We got rid of him now." Nikki looked at the money on the table. She held onto her sister, trying to share her strength and warmth. "You go and shower. I need to go somewhere real quick." She picked up the money and stuffed it into her pocket. It felt unclean to touch and she felt revolted.

Vicki was torn, she didn't want to be alone but she saw that her twin was up to something. She nodded and trudged up the stairs. Her small figure bent and worn down by pain. It was both emotional and physical.

Nikki took one final look at her sister and went out the back door. She quickly got her bicycle and pedaled for all she was worth. Time was of the essence. Kelly would be back soon. She would sit for a cup of coffee and some gossip but she wouldn't be gone for long.

Pedestrians stared at the little girl who flew down the streets. Her long hair trailing behind her as her legs worked harder. Her cheeks were pink from her heavy breathing but still she went faster. She got to the second hand shop and she stood her bicycle on the side wall. Mystic Falls was a small safe town where you could leave your bike outside without a chain.

Nikki straightened her blouse. She was wearing a matching peasant blouse. Identical to Vicki's. It was white with pink flowers stitched on it. Her jeans were a little dusty but she would do.

The little girl opened the door and walked inside. The store was empty for this time of the afternoon. The old man behind the counter leaned on the glass top as he poured over a newspaper. Nikki wasn't afraid, she could see that he wasn't a bad man. His silver hair and old worn face held no malice.

"Hello, what can I do for you?" He smiled.

Nikki walked forward, closer to the counter and looked through the glass. She searched all the shelves until she saw what she wanted. "I want that. I want two please?" She kept her voice strong. She didn't want to show him that she was nervous. A little kid trying to buy two Swiss Army knives. If she acted brave enough then he wouldn't ask questions.

"You want the pocket knives?" he asked curiously.

"Yes, I don't know how much they are but I have this." She took out the money and laid it out on the counter.

He looked at her over the rims of his glasses. Nikki could see that he was torn. He wanted to ask questions or to say no. But the one reliable human trait won out. His greed.

The old man made the money disappear very quickly. Nikki felt a little guilty at using his emotions against him. It was a second hand shop and he needed the money. But Nikki needed protection for her sister and herself.

She watched holding onto her breath as he opened the glass cabinet doors. Ever so slowly, his old fingers turned the key and he took out two pocket knives. They were still new at least. He kept a good supply of knives. The old man's breath misted the glass top as he stooped a little to get to the box.

Then he laid the two cherry red pocket knives down. They lay in their plastic protective casings still. Nikki took them before he could change his mind. "Thanks mister." She turned and walked out quickly. Not too fast, that would draw attention.

He said nothing as he watched her leave. He wanted to forget this transaction and that suited her fine.

Nikki slid the knives into her jean pocket and hiked herself onto her bike. She pedaled as fast as she could. Her leg muscles clenched in protestation at the exertion but she ignored her pain because Vicki's pain was still fresh in her mind. Nikki could feel the numb ache on her shoulder and she knew that she was sporting an identical wound to her sisters.

The streets were a blur as she tried to race time. Panting, she trailed into their back yard. She stowed her bike against the side of the garage and raced inside the house. Her sneakers striking the wooden floors.

Vicki sat up in the bath tub as her sister opened the door.

Nikki sunk down, her knees touching the cool porcelain side of the tub. She sighed from the blessed relief it gave her. She paused, trying to get her breath back.

Vicki was patient, surrounded by bubbles as she tried to scrub herself. The bite mark raw on her pale skin. It looked red and angry.

Nikki raised herself off her knees as she took the knives out of her pocket. "This is for us. It will protect us from all the bad men." She watched as her sister hesitantly took the proffered gift. She knew that it was bought with the fifty dollars.

Vicki peeled off the wrapping and she held the knife. It seemed so big in her tiny hand but she also felt the security it gave her. She hefted it in her hand, playing with it and enjoying the feel. She felt stronger with the knife and she saw her sister had the twin knife in her hand. "It's magic, like us." Vicki's soft voice echoed in the room.

"Yes, it's exactly like us Vicki and as long as you have this knife then no one will be able to hurt you," Nikki vowed.

But she had been wrong, the talisman had not kept Vicki safe in the end. The bad man in the woods had snapped the blade and Vicki was defenseless.

Nikki heard the doctor's voice in her hospital room as she was pulled back into her mind and body.

* * *

Damon Salvatore stood in the cemetery. He felt much better after feeding. He was actually starting to feel like his good old bad self again.

He took out his cellphone and scrolled through his contacts. He needed to make a very important call.

"Hello?" Stefan's voice was panicked.

"I want my ring." Damon's jaw was clenched as he tried to control his anger.

"Where are you?" the younger Salvatore asked.

Damon smirked, looking around him, "I'm at the sizzler. I had the buffet. Where's my ring?" He really hated to repeat himself but he knew that Stefan was fighting his own guilt.

"I don't have it. Where are you? What have you done?" Stefan was too afraid to find out the truth. He had come into town and these animal attacks had followed.

"No, what have you done?" Damon growled. "You're the one that locked me in the basement and starved me, so whatever I've done, whoever I've sucked dry is on you, buddy."

Stefan tried to hide his fear. "You're being careless. How many more animal attacks is this town gonna believe, huh?"

"I know how to cover my tracks, Stefan. Where's my ring?" He wanted to kill his brother at that moment.

"I gave it to Zach to hide. Probably shouldn't have killed him." Stefan answered. He could not lie easily.

Damon grinned, his face dark and sinister in the shadows. "Ah, you almost got me. Where is it?"

"I'll get it back, but I need time." Stefan wasn't a fool and he knew that his older brother would turn the town upside down in an attempt to find his ring.

"What, did you FedEx it to Rome?!" Damon scoffed. "Where is it? I want my ring, Stefan, or my next stop's Elena's."

"I already want you dead. Don't give me another reason to make it happen." Stefan's voice was lethal.

"Don't give me another reason to rip you apart." Damon was dying for a chance to hurt his brother and the Elena was a new toy in their power struggle. He couldn't wait to take her away from his brother.

"Yeah? Is that gonna be before or after you get your ring back?" the younger brother taunted.

"Just get it." Damon hung up. He was tired of his little brother's games.

He looked around, he needed to clean his mess. He put his phone away and poured alcohol around the bodies. He got to Vicki Donovan. He had fed off her and she lay prone on the grass. Damon lifted the bottle and poured some of the liquid on the human. She stirred, not giving in to death. "You just don't wanna die, do you?" Damon was amazed at the way she fought for her worthless life.

* * *

At the Salvatore's House, Vicki lay on the sofa as Damon left a message on Stefan's phone.

"Where are you, Stefan? I'm trapped at the house, and I'm getting really bored and really impatient, and I don't do bored and impatient. Bring me my ring. Damn it."

He put his phone away and looked at the human. She was bleeding out. The rich crimson liquid trailing out of her neck.

"Aw, don't get blood on the couch!" Damon chastised. He hated the furniture being ruined. Blood stains never washed out easily. He walked over to her. "Please?" He tried asking nicely but she wasn't moving or answering him. "I got you good, didn't I?" he flinched as he saw the wounds on her. He had been rough in his haste to feed.

Vicki Donovan lay still. She knew that she was dying, she could feel her soul wanting to leave her body as her life's blood left her. She could smell her blood in the air but she would not whimper or beg for her life. She would lie still until she knew what he wanted from her. Vicki knew that she would get answers with patience. Damon was a beast but perhaps she could appeal to the man in him. She didn't make a move, she would let him decide her fate but now she knew his secret. Knowing his secret gave her power.

"Well, you're not gonna be any fun today. I'm so gonna regret this." Damon bit his wrist and put it to her mouth. Vicki struggled at first. It was disgusting, this monster was feeding her his blood.

She almost gagged at the thick fluid as it reached her throat. But then she felt her wounds heal and she felt powerful. She gave in as his blood filled her mouth.

"Drink up. Drink it up. Don't drip. There you go. Good girl. That's it." He smiled as he encouraged her.

Vicki went into the bathroom. She had told him that she needed to shower, to wash the blood off. What she needed however, was a chance to think. To do that she needed to get away from Damon.

Vicki stood in front of the mirror. Her hair looked wild, there were leaves stuck in there and blood. The blood was everywhere. On her mouth, on her clothes. She lifted a hand and wiped at her lips.

It made sense now. She knew what he was but she would not say it out loud for fear that he would hear her. He was a vampire and that meant his brother had to be a vampire too. The Salvatore brothers were vampires. Vicki smirked as she thought it out. Little Elena was in love with a vampire. Talk about being low on the food chain. Vicki was quiet as her thoughts unraveled, this vampire was feeding her blood willingly. She went to the tub and turned the taps on. Damon did think that she was showering.

Nikki fell asleep as the doctor left her room. She felt weak and drained as she fell into an uneasy sleep. She had almost died after all. Nikki opened her eyes to see that she stood in an unfamiliar bath room. She was still in her pajamas but she had no shoes on. She flexed her toes, it wasn't so bad. She couldn't feel cold.

She looked up as she realized that her sister was in the room.

Vicki whipped her head about as she felt someone stand behind her. "Nikki?" she asked.

The slender girl stepped closer as she saw the blood on her sister. "I think this is twin magic. Like astral projection." Vicki looked confused so Nikki explained. "You needed my help and I felt your fear. So I willed myself to come to you."

Vicki smiled as the tears slipped down her face, "Yes, I need you. The bad man in the woods." Her memories were coming back now. "He killed Tony, Summer and Jared. He wanted to kill me."

"But you fought? I saw that, I was there Vicki," Nikki replied. Her voice was hushed as she looked at her twin. Why did she have to be so far away? Why did she have to get sick?

"Why does all the bad stuff keep happening to me?" Vicki sniffed, "I told you that I was broken long ago."

"You aren't broken," Nikki said firmly, "We aren't broken. We're just the lost girls, that's all." Girls who people forgot to love or worry about. People looked past them, they were lost in the background of other people's perfect lives.

Vicki was quiet as the words sank in, "Your hair." she took in her sister's appearance. "Your pretty hair is gone."

Nikki held a hand up to her head, her fingers touching the short shorn hair. "They had to cut it to operate and I lost some because of the treatments."

"You still look pretty though," Vicki replied. She was trying to make her twin feel better. Nikki was always so pretty with her hair that fell around her shoulders. Now it was brutally short. "But does that mean that you'll be better now?" She asked eagerly. They received updates sporadically from Carol.

Nikki smiled, biting her lip and trying to lie. "Yes, I'll be fine." She was not going to last much longer. The doctors knew that. She saw by the looks on their faces. The tumor was stubborn, it didn't want to let go of her. It was now completely inoperable. The surgeons had tried. The chemo and radiation treatments were taking its toll on her. She had lost her hair first and then she had lost weight.

"Don't worry," Vicki leaned closer. "The bad man is a vampire."

"A vampire?" her twin asked. What had Vicki been taking?

"He fed me his blood. I have a plan Nikki. I'll go along with him and get him to make me a vampire too then I'm coming for you. I can make you one and you won't be sick ever again. We can live together forever," Vicki's face lit up.

"What's his name Vicki?" the pale twin asked. She wanted to know what a vampire name could be.

"Damon Salvatore. He's going to be the answer to all our problems," Vicki was full of hope now. Nikki never needed to be sick again. When Damon made her a vampire, Vicki would go to the hospital and get her sister. It seemed so easy.

"Be careful Vicki, I'll wait for you." Nikki was scared but her sister seemed convinced that this would work.

"Do you believe me?" Vicki had to ask.

"Yes, I believe you. We're twins remember." Nikki replied. There was no hint of lies in the bond. Her sister was telling the truth and if Nikki could see beyond people's real faces and they had their own magic, then maybe vampires were real. "I saw him too and I can see the blood."

Vicki heard movement outside the door, "I have to hurry. Damon is waiting for me."

Nikki stood back, "I'll see you soon."

"Everything will be okay, I promise." Vicki was pretty even with the blood that marred her face.

Nikki nodded. It would all work out. They just needed to believe. Their pain and suffering did not have to be in vain. They deserved to be happy.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Chapter Four_**

**_I own nothing. Just the OC and my plot line._**

**_Thank you to Tatyana Romanov for reviewing. _**

**_Thank you to Zoey24 for reviewing._**

**_Thank you to kate1234 for reviewing._**

**_Thank you to TWD for reviewing._**

**_Thank you to sourskittles6887 for reviewing._**

**_Thank you all for reading and reviewing. You who have managed to relate to Vicki who is a sad, lost figure in the overall story. She was just a regular girl who never got her happily ever after. Sadly though, I have to keep it canon and Vicki does die. Her death is a necessary evil._**

The pale girl looked out the window as Matt stopped at the Grill. He quickly got out of his old battered truck and went around the side. Today was a home coming but sadly it was to more bad news. That was all the Donovan family seemed to have lately, he realized. The doctors had finally released his sister but it was too late, there was no cure for her, no treatment left. The brain tumor had taken over and it was only a matter of time before she died. Another Donovan dead and gone.

Matt opened the passenger door and helped his older sister out. She was tiny, barely reaching to his shoulder and he easily picked her up and placed her gently on the ground. "Welcome home Nikki." He saw her face, "Sorry, Arianna." He smiled apologetically.

"Don't call me Nikki anymore. Please Mattie." Her eyes were dark as she remembered. She didn't want to be Nikki anymore because Vicki wasn't around. The wound was still raw and unhealed. Arianna preferred to go by her middle name now, she didn't want to be reminded of her dead twin. The name brought up too many buried memories, like a bitter sweet reminder of her sister.

"I won't." Her brother's blue eyes were equally darkened by sadness as he remembered. The troubled twin who had turned up dead during a storm. Dead by the hands of villains he called friends now. It haunted Matt, he knew the truth of how Vicki had died but he could never tell his sister of what had happened to Vicki. Arianna was safer not knowing about the vampires or witches or werewolves. She still had her innocence and he wanted to keep her that way. Matt released a pent up breath. "Let's go inside." He took her hand and threaded it through his own. He still marveled at how small she was. He was careful not to hurt her. She seemed so very fragile and breakable now.

Arianna smiled up at her little brother. He had taken the reigns as head of their little family. As broken as it was, he tried to hold it all together.

Matt led her into the Grill. "My shift starts soon. You want to sit with me at the bar or get a table?" he asked as he took off his jacket.

Arianna looked around. She saw the same old faces. She saw Elena Gilbert sitting with Caroline Forbes at one of the tables and she saw them watching her.

"You'd think that they'd have make-up at the rehab clinic," Arianna heard Caroline mutter.

She flinched but she would not let them see that the cruel words were like barbs in her skin. Arianna didn't wear a lot of make-up. She wore lipstick and mascara. She didn't need to pile the cosmetics on but she realized that Caroline was merely lashing out. Caroline knew that Tyler had helped the Donovan's somehow. The founding families didn't know much about Arianna's whereabouts because Tyler and his mother had respected her privacy. But Caroline and Tyler were together now and it had to be eating the pretty cheerleader, Arianna thought. She had been friends with Tyler since childhood and Caroline was jealous of that bond now that she was dating him.

Thankfully her brother did not hear the taunt as his back was turned as he put on his apron that served as his uniform. "I'll sit here and stay close to you." Arianna said as she took a seat at the bar.

"You want to get your usual?" Matt asked with a smile.

"Yes please Mattie," she replied. She looked around the Grill as her brother went to place her order. Nothing had changed it seemed. Well nothing ever did in this small town. The same small town mindset seemed to persist, Arianna realized as her eyes met Caroline's. The judgment was still there. They thought that she had been away at a rehab clinic it seemed. But Vicki was the one with the drug problem and not her.

She couldn't help but overhear what they were saying. The Grill was quiet.

Elena was chatting excitedly, "It's all so weird. The Originals are throwing a ball. Like an actual ball."

"It's some twisted Cinderella fetish is what it is," Caroline said with her usual snark. "And why does the Evil Witch want an audience with you?"

"I have no idea. There's only one way to find out." Elena replied.

Arianna listened intently, what or who were the two girls discussing she wondered.

"I thought you told Damon and Stefan that you weren't going," Caroline said.

That name, Arianna's blood ran cold. She needed to see him. She wanted to see the monster who had taken her sister's life. Damon Salvatore. It had taken time, time to come back home after she knew that Vicki was dead. She had felt it when her sister had died, right down to the very second. It was the twin bond.

"I did, which is all the more reason why I need a drama free bodyguard," Elena replied.

So Elena was involved with the brothers? That figured, Arianna thought. Elena was the girl who always had to be the center of attention and what better way to do it then have two brothers in love with her?

"Well, I think a Salvatore would look a lot better in a tux. And by that I mean Stefan," Caroline's voice was firm.

Arianna smiled at her brother as he brought her a strawberry milkshake and cheese fries. "Thanks Matt."

He nodded at her and went back to the kitchen. Arianna bit into one of the hot fries. It was obvious which Salvatore Caroline preferred then, she liked Stefan.

Elena sighed, "Uhh, I can't deal with either of the Salvatores right now. Whatever Stefan is feeling, he is channeling it all against Klaus. And Damon...it's just not a good idea."

Arianna peeked at them surreptitiously. Elena was so casual about having two brothers fighting for her affections. And who was Klaus?

The front door opened and a new girl walked in. Arianna couldn't see her face properly because the sunlight behind her was blinding in the dark of the interior.

"Careful Caroline. It's all well and good until she stabs you in the back." The blonde stopped at the table where Elena and Caroline sat.

Elena glared at her, "What are you doing here? I know your mom's rules. No hurting the locals."

Arianna tried to see the newcomers face but all she saw was her back and beautiful long hair that was perfectly styled.

"Get over yourself Elena. It's not all about you." The girl was not a fan of Elena it seemed.

Matt came out and stood at the bar, "Hello Rebekah."

Arianna turned to look at the girl. She felt a shiver go up her spine. It was like an echo, this girl's face seemed so familiar.

"Hi Matt," Rebekah smiled and she walked up to the bar.

Arianna narrowed her eyes, this girl liked her brother that was obvious.

Matt blushed as he looked at the pretty blonde, "This is my sister."

Rebekah finally noticed the tiny girl, "Arianna?" she went pale and still as she simply stared.

"Yes," Arianna was puzzled, "how did you know my name?" there was an uncomfortable silence that seemed to stretch on as Rebekah stared at her.

"I must have heard it from somewhere," Rebekah whispered as she continued staring.

"Do we know each other?" Arianna asked. It was too much of a coincidence. Rebekah seemed so familiar to her. The hair was different perhaps but the voice and the feelings that Arianna felt, it was strange. It was like a wave of memories that could not possibly be hers.

"You can't know her Arianna," Matt stepped closer to his sister instinctively wanting to protect her. "Rebekah and her family are new in town."

"And I have been gone for a while," Arianna nodded. She shrugged, "I must be mistaken then. Sorry Rebekah."

"It's fine," the blonde replied quickly, "I'm here to invite you Matt." She held out an envelope. "My family is throwing a ball." Her voice was shaky it was obvious that she was nervous.

So that was what Elena and Caroline had been discussing, Arianna realized. They didn't like Rebekah's family.

"You are invited as well," Rebekah looked at Arianna.

"Thanks but I don't exactly have a dress to wear to a ball," the girl replied with a slight blush.

"I'll take you shopping if you want?" Rebekah offered.

Arianna was tempted. It had been so long since she had been shopping. She hadn't been to a party in what seemed like forever.

"Go with Rebekah," Matt urged softly, "you need to get out of the house and have a good time." His blue eyes were kind and caring as he looked at his sister and Rebekah noticed this.

Arianna smiled, "Well I'd like to go shopping with you then."

"I'll meet you here tomorrow and we can get you a dress for tomorrow night," the blonde replied.

Their plans were settled and Rebekah left, pleased with herself. She could not wait to tell her brothers of the latest development in Mystic Falls. She hesitated at the door as she looked at Arianna Donovan one last time. The petite girl was eating and talking animatedly with her brother. Rebekah noticed how content her old friend was. Was this yet another doppelganger or could it actually be Arianna, the girl that was her best friend? Rebekah had not failed to notice the same nervous habit, Arianna had always lowered her head when she was feeling out of place. Her eyes staring at the ground when she was nervous or anxious.

Rebekah bit her lip. Perhaps she would rather wait for Klaus, Kol and Elijah to be surprised. After all they were so wrapped up with the doppelganger and her friends that the appearance of Arianna would shake them to the very core. Rebekah liked surprises. She smiled satisfied with her decision, she would let her brothers see Arianna at the ball. "We need to stir things up a little."


	5. Chapter 5

**_Chapter Five_**

**_I own nothing from TVD. All that's mine is Arianna and the plot line I created._**

**_Thanks to all who read, favorite and follow. _**

**_I haven't got a lot of reviews for this story. I was wondering if anyone was still reading it and enjoying it?_**

**_Please review if you like where the story is going. I would really appreciate it._**

**_Thank you to madstar95 for reviewing._**

**_Thank you to Tarafina for reviewing._**

* * *

Rebekah hurried out the door the next morning. She had hardly slept the night before. She was anxious to see Arianna again. She wanted to see if what would happen if they spent time together. Would Arianna remember her or was she just another carbon copy doppelganger?

"Where are you off to?" Kol's mischievous voice stopped her. He had noticed her quick getaway as he sat in the kitchen with his brothers.

The blonde original froze with her hand on the door knob. She had almost been out. "None of your business Kol."

"Where are you going Rebekah?" Elijah asked with a gentler tone as he straightened out his newspaper. "We promised to make peace with the citizens of this town."

"I am not going to fight with anyone Elijah," she breathed out. She was irritated by their complete lack of trust in her. "If you must know, I am going shopping with a friend." She faced them with her hands folded.

"A friend?" Klaus asked. He looked up from his sketchbook. "Anyone I know?"

They were far too nosey, her family.

"Bekah has no friends," Kol smirked.

She shook her head angrily. She hated when they made fun of her. Rebekah felt better when she remembered her secret. She knew something that they didn't. It was a wonderful jewel of a secret to possess. It was her turn to smirk as she looked at them. "If you must know, its Matt's sister." She wouldn't say too much, she wanted to tease them but at the same time she was telling the truth. Because she knew that they would be furious when they found out that she had known all along. But here she was, telling them just in her own way.

"I didn't know Matt Donovan had another sister? Didn't one of his sisters die?" Klaus was bored now and he started sketching again.

Rebekah ignored him.

"Is she my snack for later?" Kol asked with a grin.

"No actually I think that she is more Elijah's cup of tea," Rebekah had to bite her lip as she wanted to burst into giggles. Oh, secrets were lovely things to have from her brothers.

"I am not looking for a girlfriend," Elijah replied firmly.

"Well I'm not trying to fix you up," Rebekah answered just as firmly. "But she is coming to the ball and I want to help her pick out a dress."

They all turned away from her and Rebekah left the house with an unmistakable spring in her step.

"Was she whistling?" Kol asked, clearly suspicious of his sister's sudden happiness.

"I think she was," Klaus replied with a frown.

Elijah shook his head, the family was back to their usual tricks it seemed.

* * *

Rebekah stood in front of the dressing room, "Let me see Arianna."

They had been shopping for a while now and the human clearly had issues. She didn't like most of the dresses that the original had picked out for her but in Rebekah's eyes the young girl looked beautiful in all the dresses that she had tried on. The original had to restrain her excitement at spending time with her old friend and thankfully after a thousand years, Rebekah's patience was like her taste, simply impeccable.

Arianna smoothed out the dress. She hated her short hair and the circles under her eyes. The harsh lights in the store made her imperfections all the more clear. She had lost a lot of weight while in hospital so she was slim now. She just didn't want to disappoint Rebekah who had been nothing but kind to her. "I don't know Rebekah."

"Come on," the original said kindly, "you just need a second opinion." Arianna had not changed at all it seemed. She had always been shy. It had been Kol and Klaus who had encouraged her to be bolder. They had played roughly with her and taught her to speak her mind. But in this life, they had been separated it seemed. Rebekah was sad as she thought that they had been without the little witch for so long. Arianna had been the light that had cast over them all. She had kept them all together. She was not just Elijah's true love but a member of their family.

The dressing door opened and Arianna peeked out. "It's a lovely color." She smiled at the vampire who had chosen the dress.

Rebekah looked at her with a genuine smile, "It looks perfect on you. That's the dress you will wear tonight. You look so pretty." She stood behind the human as they looked at the dress in the mirror.

"You have to say that Bekah because you are my friend," Arianna teased.

"What did you call me?" the blonde vampire asked. Her eyes were wide as she heard her old nickname. There had been a flicker then. A glance that showed her recognition of the past.

"Sorry, did I say something?" Arianna frowned as she looked into the mirror.

"No," Rebekah shook her head. The memories were coming back she realized. Just not quickly enough. She needed to shock them out of the petite girl. She shivered as she looked at her old friend. It was all still there, the old connection between them was there and the need to hug her was so strong. Rebekah was far from emotional. She was proud to be called a stone cold bitch but this was emotional for her. This was her best friend from when she was still human. She needed this. She deserved this happiness. After all the rejection from humans and the inhabitants of this town, her family needed a true friend.

"Are you okay?" Arianna turned around as she saw the blonde girl's eyes were all misty.

"I'm fine," Rebekah waved a hand. "You need shoes and we must look for make-up." She turned around and looked around the shop. She was so happy at that moment that it physically hurt. Her undead heart was filled with love and happiness. She just couldn't let anyone see it. She had so many questions. Like why did her friend smell so strongly of medication under her natural scent? Why was she so pale and where had she been gone for so long? No one had mentioned Arianna. Was she ill perhaps?

Arianna smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Rebekah really did have good taste.

* * *

The Donovan siblings walked up the steps and into the magnificent home of the Mikaelson family.

Arianna trembled a little as she clasped Matt's large arm. He smiled down at her, his eyes filled with love and pride. He looked dashing tonight, Arianna thought. It was easy to forget sometimes that Matt was one of the most handsome boys in Mystic Falls simply because he chose to fade into the background and let his friends have all the attention.

Her breath hitched in her throat when she saw who stood before them in the arrival line.

The Salvatore brothers stood on either side of Elena Gilbert and they all seemed to be arguing. Stefan clearly did not want Elena to be at the ball.

Matt tried to side step and pass them but the Salvatore pair were large and dominated the entrance.

Arianna felt her anger and hatred flare as time seemed to slow down. She walked past Damon Salvatore and she stared at him. The vampire with the face of an angel but who had a heart of pure evil. Her heart sped up and that must have caught his attention because he turned his face to look at her. His full lips still stretched in a smirk as he insulted his brother.

Stefan quickly grabbed Elena and left. He clearly wanted privacy to talk to her alone.

She knew the smirk that graced the elder brothers face. He had worn that same self satisfied look on his face when he had turned her sister.

"Who's this?" Damon asked with a gleam of interest in his ice cold eyes. He was staring at her, taking in the designer dress and high heels. Her make-up was subtle but the dark eyeshadow made her golden eyes stand out more.

Matt paused, careful now. "This is my sister Arianna."

She had to face him now. There was no turning back. She had to talk to the monster who had killed her sister.

Damon held a hand out to her as Matt watched.

Arianna gave him her hand as he smiled seductively at her. "Hello Damon." Her voice almost caught in her throat. But she was no weakling. She had to make him see who had the control. "Aren't you a little old to be chasing after a teenager?" It was her turn to smirk at him.

The smile fell from Damon's face as he froze.

She went on, "Surely someone who has immortality in his grasp could find better pursuits?" She almost flinched as his hand squeezed her fingers hard. She could feel the bones protest but she was satisfied. She was getting to him.

Damon sneered. He looked down at her hand and made a point of lingering on all her bruises.

Her arms were covered in green and yellow bruises that were still healing. It was from all the machines she had been attached to, all the needles.

"You should not judge me little girl," he leaned into her. "You are just like Vicki. A junkie."

"I am exactly like my sister," Arianna hissed. "She fought to the end. She never showed an ounce of fear. Even when you turned her. Vicki faced you and death with her eyes open and her strength was admirable."

Damon tried to pull away but her hand clung to his.

"When I drive a stake through your heart Damon, and I will I want to see if you can be as brave as my sister was. Will you beg for death?" She shrugged. "I don't care what you do. All that I want to see is the stake plunging into your black heart and I want to watch as the light leaves your eyes."

She smiled with sweet innocence. "Enjoy the party Damon. Your death is creeping slowly towards you."

Arianna dropped his hand and turned to Matt, "Let us go look for Rebekah. She is your date after all baby brother." She was glad that with all the music and chatter, Matt had not heard her conversation.

"Yeah," Matt agreed. He clearly wanted to get away from Damon who looked like his world had just been turned upside down.

* * *

**_The dress that I see Arianna wearing to the ball? Alice's purple dress that she wore to Bella and Edward's wedding. I loved that dress on her._**


	6. Chapter 6

**_Chapter Six_**

**As always, I own no rights to TVD. All that's mine is the OC of my creation and the plot line.**

**Thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting or following.**

**To all the guests who reviewed. Thank you.**

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Thank you to each and every one of you for your support. It makes me want to write more.

**Some of you asked why Arianna isn't showing more signs of her illness. Well it's because right now she's basically running on adrenaline and anger. Have you ever been that angry with someone or angry at a situation, that it blinds you to all else? You just let your raw emotion take over you. That's how she feels at this point in time.**

**She has waited to see Damon Salvatore for a long time. She has been waiting to look at the man who killed her sister and for that reason, she is ignoring her illness. But it will catch up to her soon. **

* * *

Arianna leaned into Matt as they walked into the ballroom.

"Are you okay?" he asked quickly, his voice laced with concern. "We can leave if you want?"

She stopped to look at her brother and lifted a finger to smooth out the frown line between his eyes, "Mattie I'm fine. The Donovan kids finally did good. We managed to get invited to a ball! We got dressed up and we both look elegant for once. Let's forget about me being sick." She grasped his hands between her much smaller hands. "Vicki would be damn proud to see us here and we are going to stay and make her proud."

Matt sighed but she could tell that she was wearing him down. He was the caretaker of the sisters. He had always tried to be the man of the house and now Arianna wanted him to find his happily ever after. She saw the looks that Rebekah had given her brother. There was such possibility between the two of them. Arianna wanted Matt to be loved because she wasn't going to be around for much longer. Matt didn't need to be alone.

"Fine, if you insist." Matt smiled and it was a flash of his regular endearing grin that lit up the room.

Arianna looked around the busy room for Rebekah and saw the Mikaelson sister staring at them. The ballroom was filled with the upper crust of Mystic Falls but Rebekah shone like an emerald under the bright lights. "Let's get going Matt. Rebekah is waiting for her date."

Matt flushed a brilliant red as his sister's words sunk in. "She doesn't like me like that," he muttered.

"Yes, she does," Arianna grinned. "You both get these silly totally into each other looks when you are together. So just go with it."

Matt took his sister's hand and tucked it back in his arm. "Tonight seems to be a night to put aside old fears then."

Arianna smiled at him as they walked but her mind was still a flurry of thoughts as she watched the Salvatores lead Elena Gilbert up a set of stairs to the second floor of the house. The three were obviously up to something.

"Hello Rebekah," Matt whispered huskily as he stared at the blonde. "You look beautiful."

Arianna was pulled out of her musings at the sound of pure happiness in her brother's voice. She looked at Rebekah who was blushing furiously. "Hello Bekah." It was instinctual, built from years of habit. Arianna leaned into Rebekah and hugged her.

The blonde was a little stiff but eventually she relaxed into the hug and returned it.

Arianna flinched a bit as she felt Rebekah hug her too tight. "You need more practice at hugging Bekah. You must not break a person's bones while hugging them." She felt the blonde girl immediately pull away.

Arianna saw Rebekah frown and she was troubled, she didn't want to hurt her new friend's feelings. "You just need to practice more. I think you must be rusty when it comes to giving hugs."

"Yes, I think I am," Rebekah replied with a smile.

"Well, then Matt and I will just have to keep hugging you until you get the hang of it," Arianna glanced at her brother who if it was at all possible, blushed even more. "I'll leave you two alone. I want to get something to drink." What she wanted to was to escape to the second floor and follow Damon Salvatore. It would be an opportunity to attack him when he least expected it. Arianna was planning on toying with him a little; she wanted him to fear her.

Even if she was a mere human girl facing a vampire, she had nothing to lose. She was dying anyway. She would let her anger and need for revenge lead her way. She didn't care if she died, as long as she took Damon Salvatore with her.

"Do you need to take…" Matt trailed off. He looked enquiringly at her.

"No Mattie, I did it before we left the house," Arianna replied. He was worried about her medication. The doctor had given them specific instructions about how often she needed to take her meds. The pills were more painkillers at this point. They weren't curing her. They just took the pain away a little. She couldn't tell her brother the truth though. That right now, her need to kill Damon was giving her something to live for. Even if it was for a little longer, she would hang in there until she avenged her sister. Vicki deserved that much.

"Okay then," Matt said.

Arianna left then. Her adrenaline fueled escape paused briefly when she saw Carol Lockwood. Her savior in a designer gown. The petite girl walked up to the older woman who was greeting guests. "Mrs. Lockwood?" she said softly.

Carol Lockwood turned around, her politician face on display. But it faded as she looked at her son's friend. "Nikki?" she asked as she took in the Donovan sister's appearance. "You look so pretty."

Arianna couldn't help the flush that blossomed across her cheeks, it was a true compliment if it came from such an elegant distinguished woman. "Thanks Mrs. Lockwood. But please call me by my middle name. I don't want to use Nikki anymore. It doesn't seem right without my sister around."

Carol sighed as she remembered the rumors that had done the rounds regarding Vicki and her son. "Okay, Arianna." Her eyes softened as she spoke. "How are you doing? Are you okay?"

"That's why I wanted to talk to you," Arianna replied. "I want to say thank you for everything."

Carol waved a hand, "It was no trouble." Money was not a problem for her.

Arianna knew how much the hospital had cost. "I appreciate it. Thank you for helping me."

"Is it true though?" Carol asked hesitant now, she wasn't good with emotions.

"I'm afraid so," the younger girl replied. Her lower lip trembled. She could only talk about her life expectancy for so long; it was threatening to break her strong resolve. "I don't have much time."

Carol put a hand on her shoulder, "I'm so sorry."

Arianna shook off her melancholy, "What can I do? It's the cards I was dealt with. I just plan to make the most of the time I have left."

"That's the spirit Arianna," the mayor smiled. "Come visit me soon please."

"I will, I promise," the younger girl agreed, "I have to catch up with Tyler." She nodded at Carol and left quickly, her heart racing as she crept up the stairs. She thanked her luck that she made a quick getaway. She needed to find the Salvatore brothers and Elena Gilbert.

From the corner of her eye, she saw a man walk up to the mayor. All she saw was the side of his chiseled jaw and a well cut suite. His thick dark hair fell over the collar of his suit perfectly. He felt, **_looked_** so familiar. But she shook it off.

* * *

**_Rebekah's point of view…_**

She heard every word that the Donovan siblings spoke. Her heart broke a little as she saw the love between them.

If only her siblings treated each other with such care.

What hurt the most though was that her fears were realized. Her friend was ill. Why did everything that Rebekah loved have to be taken from her? She had just found her oldest and dearest friend. Her mind swirled with solutions.

Could she come clean and tell Arianna the truth? That she was an original vampire. She could offer to turn the young witch in order to save her.

And then Arianna had hugged her. Rebekah had resisted the feelings at first. No one touched her like that. With such fondness and genuine kindness. The original felt so much that she had hugged Arianna back. It was much too hard and over Arianna's shoulder, Matt frowned so Rebekah had let go.

Humans were so very fragile. Rebekah wanted to ask Matt questions as Arianna left but then he looked at her with those magnetic blue eyes and her mind stopped working for a while.

* * *

_**Can you figure out who it was that Arianna almost recognized? : )**_

_**I'm changing events a little.**_

_**You will see why.**_

_**Please review. Thank you.**_


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